We present a comprehensive, up-to-date compilation of band parameters for the technologically important III–V zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors: GaAs, GaSb, GaP, GaN, AlAs, AlSb, AlP, AlN, InAs, InSb, InP, and InN, along with their ternary and quaternary alloys. Based on a review of the existing literature, complete and consistent parameter sets are given for all materials. Emphasizing the quantities required for band structure calculations, we tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit, and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, effective masses for electrons, heavy, light, and split-off holes, Luttinger parameters, interband momentum matrix elements, and deformation potentials, including temperature and alloy-composition dependences where available. Heterostructure band offsets are also given, on an absolute scale that allows any material to be aligned relative to any other.

Band parameters for III–V compound semiconductors and their alloys

From a discussion of the experimental results concerning defect creation (versus the energy of irradiation, temperature, doping concentration, nature of the material, crystalline orientation) and annealing (versus doping concentration, carrier injection), it is concluded that the defects produced in n- and p-type GaAs by electron irradiation consist in a distribution of vacancy-interstitial pairs in the As sublattice. The vacancy-interstitial pairs in the Ga sublattice recombine immediately after their creation. The mobility of the As interstitial, which can be induced by hole injection in the case of irradiation with high fluxes, explains the formation of antisites AsGa by exchange with donor impurities on Ga sites and of few complexes following irradiations at high fluences. The existence of several types of pairs explains the occurrence of the numerous electron and hole traps observed. The electrical and optical characteristics of the electron traps are consistent with the existence of a strong-electron-lattice coupling which can be evaluated semiquantitatively.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3719/18/20/012/pdf

Irradiation-induced defects in GaAs

Ion-induced defects in semiconductors

The previously reported photoluminescence(PL)-peak-energy anomaly problem for Ga0.5In0.5P grown on GaAs by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) was studied in detail. X-ray microprobe analysis, and optical transmission spectra measurements were carried out to examine alloy compositions and band-gap energies (Egs), respectively. The MOVPE growth condition dependence of {1/2, 1/2, 1/2} superlattices (SLs) on the cation sublattice in Ga0.5In0.5P was studied in detail, using transmission electron microscopy. The correlation between the Eg anomaly and the SLs was examined in detail and established. Raman spectra seemed to show zone-folding effects due to the monolayer SL. A similar Eg anomaly was reported for AlGaInP. AlGaInP and AlInP were also found to show the same SLs.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.27.2098/pdf

Band-Gap Energy Anomaly and Sublattice Ordering in GaInP and AlGaInP Grown by Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy

Published data on the properties of metal-semiconductor ohmic contacts and mechanisms of current flow in these contacts (thermionic emission, field emission, thermal-field emission, and also current flow through metal shunts) are reviewed. Theoretical dependences of the resistance of an ohmic contact on temperature and the charge-carrier concentration in a semiconductor were compared with experimental data on ohmic contacts to II–VI semiconductors (ZnSe, ZnO), III–V semiconductors (GaN, AlN, InN, GaAs, GaP, InP), Group IV semiconductors (SiC, diamond), and alloys of these semiconductors. In ohmic contacts based on lightly doped semiconductors, the main mechanism of current flow is thermionic emission with the metal-semiconductor potential barrier height equal to 0.1–0.2 eV. In ohmic contacts based on heavily doped semiconductors, the current flow is effected owing to the field emission, while the metal-semiconductor potential barrier height is equal to 0.3–0.5 eV. In alloyed In contacts to GaP and GaN, a mechanism of current flow that is not characteristic of Schottky diodes (current flow through metal shunts formed by deposition of metal atoms onto dislocations or other imperfections in semiconductors) is observed.

Mechanisms of current flow in metal-semiconductor ohmic contacts

InGaP crystals grown on (001)GaAs substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are structurally evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. High-resolution electron microscopy observation and electron diffraction analysis of both the (110) and the (10) cross-section specimens strongly suggest that ordering of column III atoms on only two sets of the (111) planes with doubling in periodicity of (111) layers, i.e., In/Ga/In/Ga/In/Ga. . ., is occurring in the crystal. The ordering of the crystal is not perfect, and the ordered regions are assumed to be plate-like microdomains.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.26.L1824/pdf

Atomic Structure of Ordered InGaP Crystals Grown on (001)GaAs Substrates by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

We report the first observation of two-dimensional electron gas at GaAs/Ga0.52In0.48P heterointerfaces using the Shub-nikov-de Haas measurements. The heterostructures were prepared by chloride vapor-phase epitaxy. The sheet carrier concentration is higher than that in GaAs/n-AlxGa1-xAs heterostructures with a similar donor-concentration in n-AlxGa1-xAs layers. This may be attributed to the facts that the dominant donors in the Ga0.52In0.48P layers are shallow and that the conduction-band discontinuity at the GaAs/Ga0.52In0.48P interfaces is large.

Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at GaAs/Ga0.52In0.48P Heterointerface Grown by Chloride Vapor-Phase Epitaxy

We developed a novel process technology to removes the dielectric substance around gate electrodes to decrease parasitic capacitance The process enabled us to increase the operating speed of the integrated circuit without causing any process damage As a result, we achieved 90 GHz operation of a static T-FF circuit using InP-HEMT technology This is the fastest T-FF, consisting of a FET, reported to date We also showed the excellent potential of this technology for fabricating ultra-high speed ICs

Improvement of circuit-speed of HEMTs IC by reducing the parasitic capacitance

We report on the current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of a metal/ultrathin GaS (thickness<100 A)/n+-GaAs (carrier concentration=2×1018 cm-3) quasi-metal-insulator-semiconductor (QMIS) structure. The GaS was grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) employing the precursor tertiarybutyl-galliumsulfide-cubane ([(t-Bu)GaS]4). The I–V characteristics of the QMIS structure depend on the work function of various metals (Au, Al, Ti). We discovered that a QMIS structure leads to a reduction of Schottky-barrier height itself. Furthermore, we demonstrated near-ohmic contact (contact resistivity=3.7×10-3 Ωcm2) for a Ti/97-A-thick GaS/n+-GaAs QMIS structure. From the relationship between the semiconductor barrier height and the metal work function, we determined that Fermi level pinning was almost eliminated by GaS passivation.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.37.3248/pdf

Near-Ohmic Contact of n-GaAs with GaS/GaAs Quasi-Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Structure

We developed a novel process technology to removes the dielectric substance around gate electrodes to decrease parasitic capacitance. The process enabled us to increase the operating speed of the integrated circuit without causing any process damage. As a result, we achieved 90 GHz operation of a static T-FF circuit using InP-HEMT technology. This is the fastest T-FF, consisting of a FET, reported to date. We also showed the excellent potential of this technology for fabricating ultra-high speed ICs.

Masahiko Takikawa

Papers

Atomic Structure of Ordered InGaP Crystals Grown on (001)GaAs Substrates by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at GaAs/Ga0.52In0.48P Heterointerface Grown by Chloride Vapor-Phase Epitaxy

Improvement of circuit-speed of HEMTs IC by reducing the parasitic capacitance

Near-Ohmic Contact of n-GaAs with GaS/GaAs Quasi-Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Structure

Improvement of Circuit-speed of HEMTs IC by Reducing the Parasitic Capacitance